NEXT month will mean a brand new start for some pupils after they waved goodbye to their school this summer. Kramel First School, in Cramlington, Northumberland, closed its doors for the last time this month as part of reorganisation plans across the county. Although the pupils were sad to be leaving, they wanted their last memories to be happy ones, so the staff threw a party. A special ceremony was held for former staff, councillors and local dignitaries and another party was held just for the children. The first event was an opportunity for past pupils and teachers to reminisce and swap stories of the early years of the school and the children were shown old photographs. The school, which was also previously known as Arcot and Klondyke, has closed as part of Northumberland County Council’s reorganisation in Cramlington. An independent body, the School Organisation Committee (SOC), decided the school should be closed to address the problem of surplus school places in the town. Headteacher Jan Rule said: “We’d expected lots of people to join us and enjoy our Kramel Reunited event. It was an opportunity for the whole school community to come together and celebrate the successes of the school and look to the future.” Jim Wright, executive member for children’s services at Northumberland County Council, said: “These two events at Kramel were opportunities for everyone to celebrate the school and look to the future with optimism. “We have committed more than £26m to driving up standards in Cramlington and the town is now starting to see these changes take place.” The SOC gave the go-ahead for the reorganisation of schools in Cramlington in December. Instead of the current three-tier system of first, middle and high schools, it will have the more common two tiers of primary and secondary. Cramlington first schools will become primary schools in September and Cramlington High will change to a secondary school in September 2008. As there were too many surplus school places in the town, it was decided to close Kramel First. All middle schools will close on August 31, 2008. Schoolchildren currently in middle schools will be transferred to their secondary school with Years 7 and 8 joining the usual Year 9 in transferring to the school in September next year. | 
Northumberland
